Variable photographic mask for maintaining multiple constant proportions of a visible area

ABSTRACT

A mask for demarcating a selected portion of a photograph according to constant proportions of an aperture of the mask for use in making reproductions or projections, usually enlargements, of the selected portion. The mask includes a sheath which guides a slide through two opposite open ends of the sheath. A substantially rectangular aperture passes through the sheath and slide. Two diagonally opposite corners of the aperture are located on coincident centerlines of the sheath and slide and two aperture sides forming one of the corners are of a different proportion then the opposing two aperture sides forming the other corner. The slide aperture so formed is rotated 180* within the sheath to locate identically proportioned sides of the sheath and slide opposite each other on the coincident centerlines. In operation, the aperture is placed over the selected portion of a photograph and the particular proportion of the selected area is chosen by adjusting the area of the aperture by adjusting the position of the slide. The desired size is marked on the photograph by outlining the aperture. If the other proportion is desired instead, then the slide is adjusted in the opposite direction to adjust the area of the aperture.

United States Patent [191 Alzmann 51 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] VARIABLEPHOTOGRAPHIC MASK FOR MAINTAINING MULTIPLE CONSTANT PROPORTIONS OF AVISIBLE AREA [76] Inventor: Walter Alzmann, 7850 Rudnick Avenue, CanogaPark, Calif. 91304 [22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 165,898

Primary Examiner.lohn M. Horan Attorney-Frank E. Wattles [57] ABSTRACT Amask for demarcating a selected portion of a photograph according toconstant proportions of an aperture of the mask for use in makingreproductions or projections, usually enlargements, of the selectedportion. The mask includes a sheath which guides a slide through twoopposite open ends of the sheath. A substantially rectangular aperturepasses through the sheath and slide. Two diagonally opposite corners ofthe aperture are located on coincident cent'erlines of the sheath andslide and two aperture sides forming one of the corners are of adifferent proportion then the opposing two aperture sides forming theother corner. The slide aperture so formed is rotated 180 within thesheath to locate identically proportioned sides of the sheath and slideopposite each other on the coincident centerlines. In operation, theaperture is placed over the selected portion of a photograph and theparticular proportion of the selected area is chosen by adjusting thearea of the aperture by adjusting the position of the slide. The desiredsize is marked on the photograph by outlining the aperture. If the otherproportion is desired instead, then the slide is adjusted in theopposite direction to adjust the area of the aperture.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure v vA X l Walter Alzmonn INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY PAIENTEDJAM' 9 ms VARIABLE PHOTOGRAPHIC MASK FOR MAINTAININGMULTIPLE CONSTANT PROPORTIONS OF A VISIBLE AREA BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A variable photographic mask andmore particularly such a mask having an aperture for multiple constantproportions of the selected portion of a photograph or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Frequently it is desired to select onlya portion of a print or negative and to reproduce the selected portionby enlargement. This selection process is referred to as cropping. Theenlargements are usually of certain standard dimensions, such as a sizeand proportion of 8 by 10 inches. To produce an enlargement of a certainsize and proportion it is necessary that the smaller selected area be ofthe same proportions of height to width.

It is well-known to crop a photograph by employing two L-shaped platesto form a substantially rectangular mask. The two plates are placed uponthe print or the like and shifted in relative position until the desiredsize and shape is obtained. The print is outlined along the inner edgeof the positioned mask. The accuracy of this technique in proportioningcan be only approximate and is dependent upon the skill and care of theoperator. Although this cropping technique may be relatively inaccurateand time-consuming, it is possible to obtain any size and proportion ofselected area.

Conventionally, the accuracy of proportioning the selected area of aprint or the like is made possible by providing a positive control. Twomasks each have an aperture with sides and ends of the desiredproportion. The print to be cropped is placed in the aperture of onemask and the overlapping mask is guided on tracks along a line joiningthe apices of opposite angles of the two masks. A fixed ratio of side toend of the selected area of the print is maintained. Although thiscropper provides a quick and accurate means for selecting andproportioning an area of a print, it is possible to select only oneproportion.

A patent illustrating the prior art as described is:

Variable Photographic Mask for Maintaining Constant Proportions of aVisible Area US. Pat. No. 2,246,920.

' My. present invention improves upon the positive controlled cropper byproviding two or more possible proportions while retaining the positivecontrol necessary to, accuracy and efficiency of measurement. Two maskshave apertures each of which have two sides forming one comerproportioned differently from the other two sides forming the diagonallyopposite comer. The masks are overlapping with like-proportioned cornersoppositely located. One mask is a slide positioned within a sheath withtwo open ends, the sheath forming the other mask. The slide ispositively controlled to move in the sheath and in the direction of aline joining the opposing corners. By moving the slide to adjust therelative position of two like-proportioned comers, one of the slide andone of the sheath, the size of the selected print area may be detenninedaccording to one predetermined proportion. Another proportion for thesame selected print area may be chosen by moving the slide to adjust therelative position of the other two like-proportioned comers of the slideand sheath.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, an apertured unit is provided fordemarcating a selected portion of a photograph or the like. The unitcomprises a sheath having two opposite open ends and a centerlineintersecting the open ends. A slide is located within the sheath and isof a size and shape complementary to that of the sheath. A centerline ofthe slide is coincident to the sheath centerline. The slide is adaptedto move within the sheath while maintaining coincident centerlines. Thesheath and slide have an aperture therethrough with two diagonallyopposite corners located on the centerlines. Two aperture sides from onecorner, those sides being of different length ratio than the twoaperture sides forming the other corner. The slide aperture is rotatedthrough degrees upon the sheath centerline for location within thesheath.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The FIGURE illustrates a mask withapertures in three positions to demonstrate two different proportions ofa selected area of a photograph.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing,the FIGURE illustrates an apertured unit or mask 10 comprising a sheathl1 and a slide 12. The sheath 11 has a top card, visible in the drawing,and a bottom card, not visible in the drawingand hidden below the topcard. The two cards are riveted at points 13 along the margins of thecards.

The cards can be secured in any conventional manner I or formed of onepiece with a space between the pieces. Sheath 11 has two opposite openends 15, 16 between the cards. Slide 12 is located within sheath 1 1 inthe space between the cards and extends through ends l5, 16. The sidesof slide 12 ride adjacent to rivets l3 thus being guided as the slidemoves. A centerline 17 divides sheath l1 midway between the sides of thesheath. Centerline 17 also defines the midway division between the sidesof the slide. An aperture 18 extends through both cards of sheath 11.Aperture 18 comprises sides 20, 21, 22, 23, connecting edge 24 andcorners 26, 27. Corners 26, 27 are located diagonally opposite eachother on centerline l7. Corner 26 is formed by sides 20, 21 and comer 27is formed by sides 22, 23. Sides 20, 21 together define one proportionor ratio, i.e., the length of each side may be in the ratio of 8:10, astandard enlargement proportion of 8 X. 10 inches. Sides 22, 23 togetherdefine another proportion or ratio, e.g., the lengths may be in aratioof 5:7. In construction of aperture 18 the sides 20, 21, 22, 23 aregiven appropriate lengths and the corners 26, 27 brought toward eachother along centerline 17 until sides 20, 22 intersect to fonnanothercomer 30. The sides 21, 23 will not intersect and connecting edge24 simply forms another side to complete the aperture. The ratio oflengthsof the sides forming corner 26 may be of any ratio as may theratio of lengths of the sides forming corner 27. Aperture 31 is ofidentical size and shape as aperture. 18. It is constructed by centeringslide 12 in sheath 11 and punching the aperture through both cards ofsheath 1 1 and slide 12. Slide 12 is repositioned in sheath 11 byrotating it 180. Thus, each of the sides 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and corners26, 27,

30 of aperture 18 will be located directly opposite the correspondingsides 20, 21, 22', 23', 24' and corners 26, 27, 30' of aperture 31 andslide 12 is centered in sheath 1 l. The identical but repositioned sidesand corners of aperture 31 have been given the same number with a primenotation for the corresponding sides and corners of aperture 18 in orderto emphasize the relationship.

ln operation, mask 10 is placed upon the print or the like to becropped. The mask is positioned so the selected area is visible throughaperture 18. While maintaining the print (not shown) and mask 10 inplace, slide 12 is shifted to the right or left along centerline 17. Thedirection of shift is determined by the desired proportion. In thedrawing aperture 31 is repositioned to the right. The new position ofslide 12 is illustrated in os to distinguish positions more clearly. Theaperture through sheath 11 and slide 12 has been reduced in size, beingbordered by sides 20, 21 in solid line and sides 20', 21' in os. Thesides 20, 21 are of the same proportion as sides 20', 21'. When theselected area of the print is exposed through the smaller aperture, thenthe print is marked along the sides of the aperture. The marking of theprint will be according to the ratio of lengths of sides, 20, 21, e.g.,8 X l inches.

A different proportion is possible with the same mask by following thesame cropping procedure as described, but instead moving slide 12 to theleft along centerline 17. The left-shifted position of slide 12 isillustrated in xs to distinguish that position. The aperture throughsheath 11 and slide 12 has been reduced in size, being bordered by sides22, 23 in solid line and sides 22', 23 in xs. The sides 22, 23 are ofthe same proportion as sides 22', 23 and of different proportion thansides 20, 21. Again, when the selected area of the print is exposedthrough this smaller aperture, then the print is marked along the sidesof this aperture. The

marking of the print will be according to the ratio of lengths of sides22, 23, e.g., 5 X 7 inches.

It is apparent that any size of aperture may be constructed according tothe requirements of the cropping. With mask 10 two predeterminedproportions may be employed, but it is also obvious that similarapertures as that described with different proportions may beconstructed on the same mask to obtain many proportions with a singleunit. For convenience mask 10 may be marked with a scale as illustratedto aid other aspects of photographic cropping. The materials of mask 10should be durable and should be relatively firm. Cardboard, plastics,metals and the like are suitable. Many other modifications of theembodiment described are obvious in light of the description. Thisinvention is not limited to the embodiment as described but encompassesthose modifications which would be obvious to make and which fall withinthe claims.

I claim:

1. An apertured unit for demarcating a selected portion of a photographor the like, which comprises:

a sheath having two opposite open ends and a centerline intersecting theopen ends; and

a slide located within the sheath and of a size and shape complementaryto that of the sheath, said slide having a centerline coincident to thesheath centerline and adapted to slide within the sheath whilemaintainin coincident centerlines, said sheath an slide having anaperture therethrough with two diagonally opposite corners located onthe centerlines, two aperture sides forming one corner being of adifferent ratio of length than the two aperture sides forming the othercomer, the slide aperture so defined being rotated through degrees uponthe sheath centerline for location within the sheath.

2. An apertured unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the sheath and slideare of a plastic material.

1. An apertured unit for demarcating a selected portion of a photographor the like, which comprises: a sheath having two opposite open ends anda centerline intersecting the open ends; and a slide located within thesheath and of a size and shape complementary to that of the sheath, saidslide having a centerline coincident to the sheath centerline andadapted to slide within the sheath while maintaining coincidentcenterlines, said sheath and slide having an aperture therethrough withtwo diagonally opposite corners located on the centerlines, two aperturesides forming one corner being of a different ratio of length than thetwo aperture sIdes forming the other corner, the slide aperture sodefined being rotated through 180 degrees upon the sheath centerline forlocation within the sheath.
 2. An apertured unit as recited in claim 1wherein the sheath and slide are of a plastic material.